AdSense Matched Content: What Happened and Related Posts Options (2026)
In 2015 we started using AdSense Matched Content to show related posts below our articles. It was free, looked good on any screen and put no load on our server. That feature no longer exists in its original form: in March 2022 Google turned Matched Content into an ads-only unit called Multiplex ads. Here is what Matched Content was, what changed, and the best ways to show related posts on your site in 2026.
Quick answer: AdSense Matched Content stopped promoting your own posts on March 1, 2022. Existing units were converted to show only ads and the format was renamed Multiplex ads, now open to all AdSense publishers. To show related posts today, use a related posts plugin such as YARPP, Contextual Related Posts or Jetpack Related Posts on WordPress, and add a Multiplex ad unit separately if you want a grid of native ads.
Table of Contents
What AdSense Matched Content was
Matched Content was a free recommendation widget in AdSense. It crawled your site and showed thumbnails and titles of your other posts, with next and previous buttons to browse more. On our site, the units looked great, although sometimes the images didn’t match the post. It reminded us of Google Related Links, an earlier Google tool we used until it was discontinued.
Not every publisher could use it. Sites needed enough traffic and unique pages, and eligibility appeared in the AdSense site management settings. Some of our smaller sites never qualified.
Why publishers liked it:
- It worked on any platform (Blogger, Tumblr, custom sites), not just WordPress.
- Google did the crawling, ranking and delivery, so shared hosting servers weren’t slowed by database-heavy related posts plugins.
- It used the same main AdSense script, and you could track views and clicks with custom channels.
- Later, eligible sites could turn on ads inside the unit to earn money.
Its drawbacks: links were loaded by JavaScript and passed no SEO value, and own-content clicks earned nothing.
What happened: Matched Content became Multiplex ads
Google announced that from March 1, 2022, Matched Content units would show only ads and be renamed Multiplex ads, citing declining use of the content promotion service. According to the AdSense help announcement (external site):
- All existing Matched Content units were converted to ads-only, even those with ads turned off.
- Eligibility limits were removed, so all AdSense publishers can use the format.
- Publishers who didn’t want an ads-only unit had to remove the code before the change.
So if an old Matched Content code is still in your theme, it is now showing a Multiplex ad grid, not your related posts.
How to show related posts in 2026
For WordPress sites, a dedicated plugin is the simplest replacement:
- YARPP (external site) (Yet Another Related Posts Plugin): the plugin we used alongside Matched Content, with follow links that help internal linking. Use a caching plugin and decent hosting, as it queries your database.
- Contextual Related Posts (external site): actively maintained, with thumbnails and caching built in.
- Jetpack (external site) Related Posts: processing happens on WordPress.com servers, so it is light on shared hosting, much like Matched Content was.
- Theme or block options: many themes, including Kadence, include a related posts section, or you can add a Query Loop block filtered by category.
Hand-picked internal links inside your articles still beat any widget for SEO and readers. See our list of WordPress plugins we use.
Should you add Multiplex ads?
Multiplex ads display a grid of native-looking ads, often below articles where Matched Content used to sit. They can add revenue, but test them: a grid of ads where readers expect related posts can reduce page views. Keep them below the content, and track the unit’s performance like any other. If ads stop appearing, see AdSense ads not showing: causes and fixes, and avoid the common AdSense mistakes that put accounts at risk.
FAQ
Is AdSense Matched Content still available?
No. Since March 1, 2022 it shows only ads and is called Multiplex ads.
What replaced Matched Content?
Multiplex ads replaced the unit itself. For related posts, use a plugin or your theme’s related posts feature.
Do Multiplex ads have eligibility requirements?
Google removed the old Matched Content traffic and page requirements, making the format available to all AdSense publishers.
Will my old Matched Content code still work?
It will display Multiplex ads rather than your posts. Remove it if you only wanted related content.
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Hi Chandra,
Thanks for this useful and informative post.
My adsense account was disabled due to invalid clicks activity, Iam really very sad for this. do I apply for new adsense account?
Please reply!
Regards,
~ Vijay
Here are few things to make sure Matched content type words for you: Place the ads after blog post. Make sure you have an image with every blog post. Ensure you are utilizing open graph tag on your blog.
Good article. It will help to drive traffic to the site indirectly. An awesome trick for seo
Adsense matched content helps to boost traffic as well as to maintain bounce rate.But Adsense do not provide this feature to all publishers.You will be notified manually if your site is approved by Adsense team.However our site got approved but we didn’t implement the code.Thank you for article
What is the minimum traffic requirements in order to be approved for the matched content program?
I think daily 5000 to 10000 page views.All traffic should be organic.
I have long had Adsense but until now there has been no offers for adsense content.
Great article on a revealing matter . But the content must be good enough for this to work.
This is a really clever move. It all adds to creating a great UX on the site. I think it’s important this isn’t over done though as it’s likely to make users become ignorant to highly relevant articles which may be of benefit to them.
good article… brilliant idea and very helpful..thank you for the sharing
What is the minimum traffic recommendation for website to enable adsense on my website.? Thanks
thanks .. it was Nice post and Very Helpful for me .. I M Facing This Tyoe Of Prblm From Adsense After Reading Tour Article i hav cleareed By all Doubts
What is the minimum traffic recommendation for website to enable adsense on my website.? Thanks
That they will not reveal. But I expect there should be enough pages with related content for this to work.
Thanks to share in your post, it very important to use adsense matched content for related post step by step to understand viewer
I am very glad to come here and read your post, its aspiring post to us and thanks for share with us.
it is good artical and good post. Related posts and article suggestions are used by most sites to increase page views as users click to related articles and google related link.
hey
It was nice reading your article.
Can we earn more money By writing same content related to ad ??
Can we use google adsense if our blog has no privacy policy and disclaimer page?
Really Nice article :) With this i can get more traffic according to the site like i want more traffic on electronic gadgets . with this i can get particular traffic according my site .
Real good article. Really I found this article great. Adsense will be a trick to get a traffic for the site.
hey
This article is simply fantastic.
Can you tell me how to place moe than 1 ad ?
I’m not able to place more than 1 ad in my blog !!
Now that is a amazing post which I have seen until now in your site, I must use it it my site as well